Sen. Campbell’s varied interests reflected in Legislature

Sen. Campbell takes in a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field with her family.

It all began with children’s issues, she said.

Sen. Kathy Campbell’s political involvement started with a role in the implementation of the statewide child abuse hotline in the 1980s. Prior to the passage of that bill, she said, reports of abuse could be made only to police.

That system failed to connect children to services they needed, she said, so Campbell worked to create a way for the public to report abuse to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

And it snowballed from there.

Even while working as the accounts manager for the family nursery business, she volunteered for Junior League of Lincoln and the United Way Women’s Leadership Council, later serving on various community boards and councils.

Then came 16 years on the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners.

In that time, Campbell was appointed to eight gubernatorial and legislative state commissions, most recently serving as co-chair of the Governor’s Transportation Task Force for Nebraska’s Future.

“I thought I knew a lot about roads as a county commissioner, but I actually knew very little,” she said, adding that she found the role of roads in the state’s economic development particularly interesting.

Six years ago Campbell retired from the family nursery, which her husband’s grandfather started in 1912. “We’re bringing in the fourth generation now,” she said.

Retirement allowed more time for working on the issue she’s been most passionate about for over 30 years; she accepted the role of executive vice president of CEDARS Home for Children Foundation.

Campbell’s varied experiences will serve her well in her new role as state senator. She said she’s been pleased to discover the diversity of knowledge held by her fellow senators and enjoys the breadth of issues the body considers.

“So far, so good,” she said. “But you can feel the pace inching up every day we’re here.”

Her daughter Caroline is a Chicago lawyer, so Campbell, her husband Dick and son Andrew take a break from the nursery whenever they can and head to the city. Conveniently, all are Cubs fans.

Why the Cubs?

Her mother grew up in Chicago, so it’s always been in the family, despite the team’s 100-year title draught.

“We’ll win some day,” Campbell shrugged. “Being a Cubs fan is an exercise in optimism.”

She paused.

“That will come in handy in the Legislature.”